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Dear all of you, How are you?

How have you been doing since you went back to your country? This time I inform you about the Buddhism / history, and NIchiren Daishonin.

Please read all of this document.

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The History of the Buddhism

Buddhism was expounded by Syakyamuni, who appeared in India approximately 3000 years ago.

Syakyamuni was born as a prince in the Kapilavastu kingdom, located in southern Nepal.

He entered the priesthood at the age of 19 and attained Buddhahood when he was 30.

He propagated the Law for fifty years and entered nirvana at 80 year of age.

During the first 42years of his 50 years of preaching, he taught a provisional teaching designed to lead people to

Lotus Sutra.

During the last 8 years, he expounded the True Teaching of the Lotus Sutra. Hokke-Kyo.

 

【Episodes】

When Syakyamuni was a prince, he existed from the eastern gate of the kingdom to the surrounding, settlement and found a feeble, ugly man whose back was bent in half from old age.

When he went out the southern gate, he saw a sick person who was writhing in pain. Outside of the western gate, he encountered a funeral procession for someone who had died.

Through these encounters the prince sought to find a resolution to the sufferings of old age, sickness and death, which all human beings cannot escape.

Finally, when Syakyamuni went out through the northern gate, he met a religious ascetic (a priest), pure in body and mind, whose presence influenced him to embark upon a religious life at the age of 19.

Buddhism is a teaching that acknowledges the reality of birth old age, sickness and death and, from that stand point, reveals the resolution to these sufferings. Equally significant is the fact that the Buddha emerged as a person in society to expound the Law.

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About relations of Nichiren Daishonin and Syakyamuni

Nichiren Daishonin, the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law

In the Daishutsu sutra,

Shakyamuni expound:

 

When the world enters into an era when people fight with one another and society deteriorates into total chaos-in other words, the Latter Day of the Law -, the power of Buddhism will wane.

The appearance of Nichiren Daishonin in the Latter Day of the Law (Mappo) and what He would encounter then were predicted two-thousand - two hundred years before His time, in Shakyamuni's Lotus Sutra. He was the votary of the Lotus Sutra whose appearance was predicted there-in, and He is, in essence, the True Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law (Mappo),

The true Buddha of the latter day of the Law Nichiren Daishonin was born in1222.

He realized that he is the true Buddha of the Latter Day of the Law that Syakyamun predicted.

Then he inscribed Dai-Gohonzon which is the object of warship for Kosen-Rufu.

And he chants Daimoku Nam-Myoho-Renge-kyo.

☆Excerpt from The Distinctive Attributes of Buddhism by Rev. Kosho Mizushima 1997

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Nichiren Daishonin wrote the following in his Gosho,

"The Entity of the Mystic Law” (Totaigisho)

Those who honestly discard the expedient teachings, put faith only in the Lotus Sutra  and chant Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo, will transform the three paths of earthly desires, karma, and suffering into the three virtues of the property of the Law, wisdom and emancipation. The threefold contemplation and the three truths will immediately manifest in their minds, and the place where they dwell will become the Land of Eternally Tranquil Light (Shinpen, P.694)

 

How to practice

Buddhism explains the existence of human being in the universe though “cause and effect”. Gohonzon is the manifestation of the Buddha's life.                           

You can become one with the Gohonzon, because we all people have complete potential of Buddha with our own life. This is Truth.            

 

The important thing of Buddhism is to eradicate many past and present negative causes, and then bring out the mind of Buddha that everybody has.                                

The future is decided by “cause and effect” from one's behavior and the relationship though many past and present events. That is called "KARMA".

For example, if someone did a bad thing in his past, the same will return to that person

in the future. The opposite is also true.

They say everything good or suffering is cause from one’s behavior and the relationship.

It is a law of Buddhism.                                                                                      

 

Please try to believe in Gohonzon and do Gongyo and Chanting “Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo to The Gohonzon which is set in at home or towards the east sky every morning and every evening and study Gosho.

These are Nichren Shoshu practices.

We hope you would feel real happiness by yourself.

If you have any question, feel free to ask anything without hesitation.

Written By Mami Kurosaka

Overseas department of Gokokuji temple